November 1, 2022
Check out Science Policy events at AGU22
Posted by Caitlin Bergstrom
Science Policy events at #AGU22
AGU’s annual Fall Meeting is just around the corner! We are thrilled to be in Chicago in person this year and online everywhere. Our Science Policy Team has been busy preparing a packed schedule of science policy events for our members – whether you want to hear about coalition-building, learn the basics and start your journey into science policy, or even take the next step into the policy world and learn more about the fellowship opportunities AGU offers, we have you covered. Check our schedule below for descriptions and links to each event. You can also find details of all events here.
Recordings of all our Fall Meeting events will be available to attendees until 28 February 2023. Go to the AGU Fall Meeting homepage to enter the meeting.
Questions about any events? Email [email protected].
Tuesday 6 December
How Scientists Can Be Involved in Scientific and Political Advocacy
10 am – 11 am CST
Online
In this session, lawyers from the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund will discuss several different ways that scientists can apply their expertise towards the policy and lawmaking process, both as scientists and as private citizens. We will explain how scientists can actively participate in the administrative regulatory process (including why it is useful for them to do so) and how scientists can engage with Congress on legislative matters, as well as other avenues for change. We will also cover general First Amendment rights as they pertain to scientists, including how scientists can safely participate in activism.
Sunday 11 December
Establishing Meaningful Relationships Between Policymakers and Academics
8 am – 12 pm CST
McCormick Place – S103ab
From the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and beyond, science is essential for developing effective and equitable public policies. Scientists have the responsibility to provide timely, evidence-based, objective analysis to policy makers and decision makers throughout all levels of government. In this workshop, we will gain the foundational skills and perspective needed to communicate the relevance of your science to policymakers at different levels of government. We will identify policy targets, hone our messages, and identify the partnerships needed to accomplish our policy goals.
Monday 12 December
9 am – 10:30 am CST
McCormick Place – N426ab
Science is essential for developing effective and equitable public policies. On topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and beyond, scientists have the responsibility to provide timely, evidence-based, objective analysis to policy makers and decision makers throughout all levels of government. In this session, we seek to shine a light on the science community’s recent efforts to restore faith in the role of science in policy, from local- and community-level engagement to Federal policy making. We especially want to highlight science communication and engagement practices that enable effective collaborations between scientists and policymakers.
Science Policy Office Hours
10:15 am – 11:15 am CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A
Join AGU’S Science Policy & Government Relations to talk about any and all things science policy. We’d love to help you meet with your legislators, explore a career in science policy, work with your local or state policymakers, get involved with AGU’s science policy initiatives, and practice presenting your research findings and policy ask for legislators.
11 am – 12:30 pm CST
McCormick Place – N426ab
Science is essential for developing effective and equitable public policies. On topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and beyond, scientists have the responsibility to provide timely, evidence-based, objective analysis to policy makers and decision makers throughout all levels of government. In this session, we seek to shine a light on the science community’s recent efforts to restore faith in the role of science in policy, from local- and community-level engagement to Federal policy making. We especially want to highlight science communication and engagement practices that enable effective collaborations between scientists and policymakers.
Skills for Science: Science Policy Skills Building 101
12 pm – 1 pm CST
McCormick Place – E255
Join AGU Science Policy Staff for an engaging workshop on the basics skills you will need to engage in science policy. We will cover why it is important to engage in policy as a scientist, the basics of Congress- including how to understand when and where your input matters most-, how to formulate your ask, how to build your message, and how to engage with any audience. This is part of the Skills for Science Series.
Building Coalitions Around Science Policy: How to Get Scientists Involved in Advocacy
3 pm – 4 pm CST
McCormick Place – E256, Level 2
Join AGU Science Policy and the Union of Concerned Scientists for a session on learning how to build coalitions around science policy. We are more powerful in our advocacy when we act together and more voices can help make a bigger impact. We’ll discuss lessons learned from member engagement through our Voices for Science and Team-Based Organizing programs. We’ll also talk about USC’s Movement Building School, and what movement building is, what role organizations and individuals can play and how you can participate in movements. Finally, we’ll review lessons learned from scientists who helped in the 2022 elections, from train-the-trainer programs and voter registration drives with Science Rising, and candidate information sharing with Science Votes the Future. We hope to share the importance of scientists working together to advance shared goals, building capacity for scientists to engage locally and at every level to be better prepared to engage in science policy.
Tuesday 13 December
Science Policy Office Hours
10:15 am – 11:15 am CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A
Join AGU’S Science Policy & Government Relations to talk about any and all things science policy. We’d love to help you meet with your legislators, explore a career in science policy, work with your local or state policymakers, get involved with AGU’s science policy initiatives, and practice presenting your research findings and policy ask for legislators.
AGU Impact: Voices for Science
11 am – 12 pm CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A
Join current and past Voices for Science advocates to discuss the impact of science communications. Building relationships with policymakers, creating conferences for underrepresented scientists, and running family science days are just some of the impressive achievements that Voices for Science advocates have accomplished in this one-year program supported by the AGU community.
Skills for Science: Science Policy Career Opportunities
2 pm – 3:30 pm CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A – Career Center
There are a variety of career opportunities for scientists outside of academia, including the field of science policy. Science policy is a multidisciplinary field that spans science, politics, communication and advocacy. Because of this diversity, countless science policy career opportunities can be found for individuals of all levels of college education and of various academic backgrounds. This session will provide the opportunity to hear from a variety of science policy experts and ask your questions about career opportunities in science policy. All levels of interest and experience are invited.
Wednesday 14 December
Science Policy Office Hours
10:15 am – 11:15 am CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A
Join AGU’S Science Policy & Government Relations to talk about any and all things science policy. We’d love to help you meet with your legislators, explore a career in science policy, work with your local or state policymakers, get involved with AGU’s science policy initiatives, and practice presenting your research findings and policy ask for legislators.
Skills for Science: Opportunities Fair
11 am – 12 pm CST
McCormick Place – E255
AGU offers a wide variety of Skills for Science opportunities for members, especially students and early career scientists. This informal open session allows attendees to get information about programs and talk to those who run each program. Attendees are welcome to stay as long or short as they wish, and engage with experts and ask questions, or simply pick up information to read at their leisure.
Shaping Local Policy: Engaging Where It Counts
2 pm – 3:30 pm CST
McCormick Place – E256, Level 2
Science has long had a role in informing the development of new policies and regulations, as well as the implementation or enforcement of existing ones. However, focus is too often given to informing federal policy, leaving science underrepresented in local policy decisions affecting communities. In this session, hear from and engage with a panel of scientists and community leaders who will discuss their experiences working to address community challenges through policy solutions that include science and provide lessons learned from different pathways for scientists to make a difference in their own community. All levels of interest and experience are invited.
Thursday 15 December
9 am – 12:30 pm CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A – Poster Hall
Science is essential for developing effective and equitable public policies. On topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and beyond, scientists have the responsibility to provide timely, evidence-based, objective analysis to policy makers and decision makers throughout all levels of government. In this session, we seek to shine a light on the science community’s recent efforts to restore faith in the role of science in policy, from local- and community-level engagement to Federal policy making. We especially want to highlight science communication and engagement practices that enable effective collaborations between scientists and policymakers.
Science Policy Office Hours
10:15 am – 11:15 am CST
AGU Central: McCormick Place, Hall A
Join AGU’S Science Policy & Government Relations to talk about any and all things science policy. We’d love to help you: – Meet with your legislators – Explore a career in science policy – Work with your local or state policymakers – Get involved with AGU’s science policy initiatives – Practice presenting your research findings and policy ask for legislators
Skills for Science: Science Policy and Communications Fellowships Panel
11 am – 12:30 pm
McCormick Place – E255
Fellowships and other year-long professional development opportunities are an excellent way to gain experience, advance your career, and meet a community of people with similar interests and goals. In the science policy and science communications fields, these types of opportunities are extremely valuable as a transition from a science degree and background, a way to try out a new field, or a way to gain valuable knowledge that will serve you well when you return to academia or research. AGU offers three different science policy and communications fellowship opportunities, all of which will be discussed in this panel by those who have experienced them.
Friday 16 December
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
McCormick Place – S105d
In recent years there have been numerous headlines citing the impact of the deployment of 5G technologies on weather forecasting and GPS. But more broadly in the Earth science community, the impact of an increasingly congested spectrum environment is being reflected through more frequent debates about the future of spectrum allocation and whether spectrum sharing is possible. NSF, especially through its Spectrum Innovation Initiative, is investing resources to explore these challenges that bridge regulatory and policy processes with fundamental science across our community. This Town Hall will build on an initial dialogue at an #AGU21 town hall highlighting some recent high profile Earth science related spectrum disputes. This town hall will broaden the discussion and feature international experts across the science, engineering, legal and policy communities about the steps the Earth science community needs to take to monitor these developments, give voice to Earth science interests, and explore innovations in spectrum sharing where feasible.
